waterloop

Felicia Marcus is a Fellow at Stanford University’s Water in the West Program and member of the Water Policy Group. In this episode Felicia discusses many of the major water issues in California, drawing from her experience in leadership roles at the U.S. EPA, state Water Resources Control Board, and City of Los Angeles. She talks about California’s response to drought, including the emphasis on w...

Peter Colohan is the Executive Director of the Internet of Water project at Duke University and Stacy Timmons is the Associate Director of Hydrology Programs for the New Mexico Bureau of Geology & Mineral Resources. In this episode Peter and Stacy discuss the challenges of finding and using water data because it is not modernized, integrated, and organized. Peter explains the effort to build t...

Tim Male is Executive Director of the Environmental Policy Innovation Center and Seyi Fabode is CEO and Co-Founder of Varuna. In this episode Tim and Seyi discuss the need to reinvent the Consumer Confidence Reports that drinking water utilities are required to provide to customers. They explain that the public can’t understand most reports because they are too technical, difficult to understand,...

Diane Durance is the Director of the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW). In this episode Diane explains that the term Blue Economy refers to a range of economic uses of ocean and coastal resources including energy, shipping, fisheries, aquaculture, and tourism. She discusses efforts by UNCW to grow the Blue Economy in southeastern North...

Nathan Ohle is the CEO of the Rural Community Assistance Partnership. In this episode Nathan talks about the communities and character of rural America, and how water challenges often stem from resource and capacity issues. He explains that RCAP provides a blend of training and technical assistance through a network of partners across the country. Nathan also discusses the concept of regionalizati...

Rick Luettich is Director of the Institute of Marine Sciences at the University of North Carolina. In this episode Rick explains that climate change is warming the ocean and atmosphere and raising sea level, leading to hurricanes that are stronger and wetter. He discusses the use of computer modeling to study and predict storm surge along the East Coast and the Gulf of Mexico, as well as for resil...

Colin Wellenkamp is the Executive Director of the Mississippi River Cities and Towns Initiative. In this episode Colin discusses how mayors for more than 100 cities and towns on the main stem of the Mississippi River work together on common goals for clean water, sustainable economies, food security, climate resilience, and culture. He explains how climate change is delivering devastating impacts,...

Dan Bena is a former water and sustainability executive at PepsiCo and currently a senior consultant for the Safe Water Network. In this episode Dan discusses how a global company like PepsiCo views its relationship to water and how corporations are approaching water risk and management. He talks about the position of water as a human right and the importance of the United Nations Sustainable Deve...

Mariah Davis is Policy and Campaigns Manager at the Choose Clean Water Coalition. In this episode Mariah talks about her journey as a Black woman in the environmental field and how she feels about the intense focus on equity the past several months. She discusses the efforts and roles of the Choose Clean Water Coalition, Chesapeake Bay Program, and funders in advancing diversity, equity, and inclu...

Chris Moore is Senior Scientist at the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. In this episode Chris discusses the incredible ability of oysters to filter water and provide habitat for other species. He explains how policy changes, restoration projects, and aquaculture are helping to improve oyster populations in the Chesapeake Bay, particularly in some tributaries. Chris also talks about eating oysters, what...

Bill Teichmiller is the CEO of the EJ Water Cooperative. In this episode Bill discusses how a not-for-profit, member-owned water cooperative provides services to over 77,000 people and is an alternative to public and private water utilities. He shares what he believes to be the advantages of a co-op, including better service, lower rates, cleaner water, and equity for customers. Bill talks about t...

Haley Plaas is a PhD student in the School of Public Health at the University of North Carolina. In this episode Haley discusses the science of harmful algal blooms, including causes, toxins they can produce, and concerns for human health. She talks about the increase of harmful algal blooms across the U.S. and how nutrient pollution and warmer water from climate change are major factors. Haley ex...

Jaimal Yogis is the author of Saltwater Buddha, The Fear Project, All Our Waves Are Water, and Mop Rides the Waves of Life. In this episode Jaimal shares his perspective on the spiritual connection people feel to the ocean and life lessons that can be learned from surfing and waves. He also talks about fatherhood, meditation, and Buddhism. Jaimal discusses his new children’s book, which teaches mi...

Vipe Desai is Founder of VoteTheOcean, Chair of the Board of the Ocean Institute, and Founding Member of the Business Alliance to Protect the Pacific Coast. In this episode Vipe discusses the value of disruptive branding and cause-marketing in the environmental field and why the action sports industry is an effective advocate for nature. He talks about the importance of political activism on ocean...

Judith Enck is founder of Beyond Plastics and a Senior Fellow and Visiting Faculty member at Bennington College, as well as a former Regional Administrator for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for New York, New Jersey, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico. In this episode Judith explains how advocacy, education, legislation, and individual action are all part of reducing plastic pollut...

Mark Mattson is the Lake Ontario Waterkeeper and President of Swim Drink Fish Canada. In this episode Mark talks about the improvements made in Lake Ontario, particularly in the Toronto area, over the past few decades and the role of laws in driving the change. He discusses the importance of connecting people to water by providing public access and opportunities to swim, paddle, and fish. Mark als...

Jeremy Orr is a Staff Attorney for the Safe Water Initiative of the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). In this episode Jeremy explains that he went into environmental law because he saw a glaring lack of Black representation in the decision-making positions that impacted Black people. He discusses how racism and discriminatory practices created inequitable access to drinking water for commu...

Heather Sackett is Managing Editor at Aspen Journalism and Editor and Report of its Water Desk. In this episode Heather discusses the rise and importance of nonprofit media outlets such as Aspen Journalism that cover environmental issues. She explains water rights in Colorado and the impact of climate change and the Colorado River Compact on water management. Heather also talks about private inves...

Venky Raghavendra is Vice President of Advancement for the Safe Water Network. In this episode Venky discusses social entrepreneurship and why it has a vital role in addressing water challenges around the world. He explains how the Safe Water Network emphasizes market-based solutions to provide access to water for people in India and Ghana. Venky also talks about a virtual global convening of youn...

Fred Tutman is the Patuxent Riverkeeper. In this episode Fred discusses his experiences as a Black man working in the overwhelmingly white environmental field and shares his perspective on the increased attention from organizations on people of color and diversity. He explains why he refers to it as environmental injustice and why ensuring clean water is part of delivering equity broadly for Black...

Erin Savage is Central Appalachian Senior Program Manager for Appalachian Voices. In this episode Erin explains the practice of mountaintop removal for coal mining, which has destroyed more than 500 mountaintops, 1.2 million acres of forest, and 2,000 miles of streams in the Appalachians. She discusses the harmful impacts to communities including contaminated drinking water, increased flooding, an...

Howard Neukrug is the Executive Director of The Water Center at the University of Pennsylvania. In this episode Howard discusses why there is always activity and innovation around water in the Philadelphia area. He says that The Water Center at Penn is focused on applied research to solve urban water challenges, with faculty, staff, and students all contributing. Howard explains why integrated wat...

Sharee Williamson is Associate General Counsel at the National Trust for Historic Preservation. In this episode Sharee discusses the wide range of historic places and national treasures that are connected to water. She explains that impacts of climate change such as sea-level rise, stronger coastal storms, and flooding from intense rainfall are threatening many historic sites like Charleston, S.C....

Dan Shapley is the Water Quality Program Director at Hudson Riverkeeper. In this episode Dan discusses various challenges the Hudson River faces as it flows from the Adirondack Mountains to New York City, which include legacy PCB pollution and emerging PFAS problems. He explains how the movement to protect the Hudson eventually spawned the global Riverkeeper program. Dan also talks about the impor...

Fay Hartman is the Conservation Director of the Colorado River Basin Program at American Rivers. In this episode Fay talks about the federal government’s history of investing in river and water projects that damage rivers and perpetuate injustices against people of color and low-income communities. She discusses how rivers are powerful economic drivers, particularly through recreation and tourism,...